


Birds in the Hand

by Elizabeth Culmer (edenfalling)



Series: Assorted Narnia Crossovers and AUs [3]
Category: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: Alternate Universe - Criminals, Alternate Universe - Dark, Child Abuse, Crimes & Criminals, Gen, Prompt Fic, Prostitution, Teaching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-03
Updated: 2011-12-03
Packaged: 2018-02-10 05:17:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2012382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edenfalling/pseuds/Elizabeth%20Culmer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Thiefmaker takes an apprentice.  She may live to regret her choice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Birds in the Hand

**Author's Note:**

  * For [caramelsilver](https://archiveofourown.org/users/caramelsilver/gifts).



> This ficlet was written for [caramelsilver](http://caramelsilver.livejournal.com) in the [Three Sentence Ficathon 2011](http://caramelsilver.livejournal.com/140906.html) hosted by [caramelsilver](http://caramelsilver.livejournal.com) on Livejournal, in response to the [prompt](http://caramelsilver.livejournal.com/140906.html?thread=2892650#t2892650): _Narnia, Edmund Pevensie, pickpocket!AU, jack of all trades_.

The Thiefmaker likes her little birds to specialize -- easier to set up work gangs that way, easier to trust they know what they're doing and won't get caught. Peter picks pockets until he gets his growth; then he's switched to muscle. Susan's too pretty to end up anywhere but a whorehouse; the only saving grace is that she's clever enough to be more useful doing the accounts most of the time and only seeing a handful of johns she has Peter intimidate into good manners. Lucy's a distraction: the lost, helpless child of a good family who's wandered into a bad neighborhood and needs a mark's help to get her home... until she turns down the chosen alley and holds a knife to his back while Peter knocks him over the head and empties his pockets.

But Edmund never specializes. The Thiefmaker saw something in him that first night as the four little birds huddled lost and homeless and parentless in the cold, and set him on a different path. "Someone has to know all the secrets," she tells him as she listens to reports and counts the night's take. "Someone has to know how everything's done, even if we can't do the tricks perfectly ourselves. A ruler is a jack of all trades and master of none, except the one that matters."

Edmund listens and Edmund bides his time. One day, he'll show his mistress how well he's learned.


End file.
